Posts Tagged ‘Christian leaders’

Below you will find a link to a message preached at Calvary Chapel Lone Mountain in Las Vegas, NV. Please start at the 1:10:00 mark. This is very concerning to me!!! Many people are now leaving this church because of the attitude that permeates through this message. I will of course be praying for this pastor that the Lord will give him discernment to see the truth. Having said that, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for your continued fight on the front lines of the battle!!!! Your ministry is very much appreciated and prayed for!!! God bless you for all you do in standing for the truth. And I know you are loving those who persecute you even when you are being maligned.

LTRP Comment: We have posted this letter and link to the sermon because it helps our readers to understand the attitude that many pastors have toward ministries like Lighthouse Trails. These pastors exhibit an animosity toward those who challenge and critique popular leaders, suggesting that because these leaders draw large numbers of followers and may even lead many to Christ, they should in no wise be challenged or questioned. But according to Scripture, serious error within the church must be exposed and dealt with as it is like leaven that can corrupt the entire body. We encourage you to read Harry Ironside’s article, “Should Christians Expose Error?” and also get a copy of the booklet for your pastor. If you cannot afford to get a booklet for him, e-mail us at editors@lighthousetrails.com with his name and church address, and we will send him a copy of that booklet on your behalf. If you do e-mail us with your pastor’s name and address, his information will be kept confidential, but we will include a note saying that the booklet is coming to him at your request.

Interestingly, the founder of the Calvary Chapel movement, Chuck Smith, told Lighthouse Trails editors on more than one occasion (either by phone or e-mail) that he greatly appreciated the work Lighthouse Trails was doing. Sadly, many of his pastors would not agree with him.

The following photos are an assortment taken from stories we have written or posted over the last three years.

July 2017

Leaders of the World Communion of Reformed Churches sign copies of the declaration in the Saint Mary’s City Church in Wittenberg, Germany, expressing support from Reformed churches for the Catholic-Lutheran Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification. (Credit: Photo courtesy of WCRC/Anna Siggelkow.)

2014 at the Vatican, Italy

Pope Francis speaks at an inter-religious conference on family values at the Vatican on Monday. Saddleback Pastor Rick Warren, bottom right, sits in the audience.

2014

Pope Francis with several evangelical leaders including James Robison, Tony Palmer, and Kenneth Copeland

On October 23rd, Lighthouse Trails sent out the 6th letter plus two booklets to 160 influential Christian leaders in the evangelical camp. We began mailing out short letters and Lighthouse Trails booklets in February 2016 to a list that started with 100 names. To learn more about this project, click here to read the first letter we sent out. To see our current list in PDF, click here. Not all the names in the list are those in deception. This list has a variety of persuasions within the evangelical camp. We are compelled to send each of these people specific information on various important issues that are basically not being addressed in the church today. If you have a name and mailing address of an influential pastor, author, or leader whom you would like us to add to our list, you can e-mail that to editors@lighthousetrails.com and we will include him or her on the next mailing. We must have a good mailing address (only U.S. addresses at this time) to add a name to the list. If you print the leaders list, please consider praying that some of these individuals may understand the urgency of our warning. Below is the letter we included in this week’s mailing. Our next mailing will take place in early 2018:

Dear Christian Leader:

Please find enclosed two of our published booklets that we hope you will find useful in your ministry.

A new missiology that removes focus from the biblical Gospel message and replaces it with a “religiously correct,” “culturally relevant” way of doing missions is having a major impact on many mission efforts in the church today. In Roger Oakland’s booklet that we are sending you, The New Missiology: Doing Missions Without the Gospel, he presents examples of how this is happening. This emergent missiology will do more harm than good to Christian missions and bringing people to a saving faith in Jesus Christ.

We are also including Shack Theology: Universalism, TBN, Oprah, and the New Age, written by former New Age follower, Warren B. Smith. The Shack is one of the most popular books among Christians today. Most do not see it as theological but rather merely a heart-tugging novel. Yet, The Shack is theological but is not biblically sound. Rather, it introduces some of the most blatant New Age ideas and subtly draws readers away from biblical truth.

Thank you for taking the time to study these matters.

In service for Christ, The Editors at Lighthouse Trails Publishing
P.O. Box 908
Eureka, MT 59917

The List of Leaders We Are Reaching Out To(Not all of the names in the list are those in deception. This list has a variety of persuasions within the evangelical camp. We are compelled to send each of these people specific information on various important issues that are basically not being addressed in the church today.)

Lighthouse Trails Publishing is pleased to announce the release of Ray Yungen’s new book, Simple Answers: Understanding the Catholic Faith (An Evangelical Primer). Ray Yungen was the pioneering author who helped launch Lighthouse Trails nearly 16 years ago. His cutting-edge book A Time of Departing was released in the fall of 2002, six months after Lighthouse Trails began. Ray finished the rough draft of Simple Answers in the spring of 2016; on October 16th of that year, before the book was ready to be released, Ray passed away from unexpected complications of a cancer treatment.

During the year that Ray wrote Simple Answers, he told the editors at Lighthouse Trails that he believed Simple Answers was one of the most important projects he had ever done. We hope you will agree. We have chosen October 16, 2017 for the release date to commemorate Ray’s passing into glory.

The evangelical church is at a crucial point in its history. There are many voices crying out for a dramatic change in the way evangelicals have traditionally viewed Catholicism; these voices are taking the church in a radically different direction, one that fits in with Bible prophecy.

In 1991, an ex-Catholic pointed out that many Catholics had been leaving the Catholic Church over the previous forty years. The reason for this: Catholics were receiving simple answers from evangelicals regarding salvation.

Today, the need for simple answers has reemerged as we are witnessing a reversal where evangelicals are looking to the Catholic Church for guidance on Christian living and spirituality. Much of this is because the precepts of the Gospel are either minimized or forgotten.

It is not just a fluke or an aberration that the evangelical churches and the Catholic Church are coming into alignment with each other. The Catholic Church is taking a softer view of the evangelical church, and the evangelical church is starting to downplay the traditional and significant differences that have kept it at bay with the Roman Catholic Church.

Simple Answers is a presentation of the facts regarding salvation according to the Gospel in contrast to the teachings of the Catholic Church.

We mourn deeply for the tragic event that took place in Las Vegas on October 1st. We mourn for the families and friends of those who were murdered, knowing their lives will never be the same. We mourn at the thought that some of those who perished may not have been ready to meet their Maker. And while it’s hard at a time like this to even think of mourning for the man who caused this horrific rampage of death, we mourn because another pitiful soul has chosen death and Hell over eternal life. We mourn because of the senseless violence and bloodshed that took the lives of so many people in a country that was once considered a safe place to live. And last, we extend our mourning to one more thing. When we heard the news of the shooting and took time to ponder and grieve over the devastation of it, we then turned our eyes and thoughts toward the present condition of the Christian church, of which we also mourn.

Many in the media and various sectors of leadership around the world will speculate as to why this and other shootings are happening and will offer their solutions of gun control, unity, and oneness. But as born-again, Bible-believing Christians who have been utterly concerned about the state of the church for many years, we are reminded today about Scriptures that instruct the church to be “the salt of the earth” and “the light [small l] of the world.”

Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 5:13-16)

We mourn for the present condition of the Christian church because as a whole, the majority of the proclaiming church in the Western world has succumbed to leaders, educational systems, organizations, and mega pastors who are leading the flock away from being the salt of the earth and the light of the world (i.e., from bringing the good news of the preaching of the Cross) and rather toward being “culturally relevant,” emerging, mystical, seeker-friendly, and biblically illiterate and heading toward a false apostate world religion. We mourn this loss of biblical integrity in the church because the world (those who have not come to Christ) is in desperate need of a church that can lead those seeking truth to THE TRUTH and THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. Jesus said:

I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. (John 8:12)

Church leaders, in their futile efforts to be culturally relevant and socially accepted (not to mention many of their own agendas to be financially successful), have ignored the Bible’s warnings of spiritual deception that will deceive many. They have turned a blind eye to occultic, mystical practices that have entered the church via Spiritual Formation, contemplative prayer, and even Yoga; and they have replaced The Gospel with a flimsy social-justice gospel that does not offend anyone (nor does it save anyone).

During this time as we all reflect and are so saddened by this latest shooting and all that it implies, wouldn’t it be a great time for Christian leaders to stop trying to be LIKE the world and begin becoming like salt that has flavor so that the world will be pointed to the LIGHT of the world, who is the only One who can bring hope and salvation to any man, woman, or child who calls upon Him. Jesus said that whoever follows Him shall not walk in darkness. Why would we want to offer anything other than that message to a lost and hurting world? How could what we offer be any better than what He has offered – to have the light of life?

Over the past decade and a half, we have watched with a mixture of surprise and sadness at how an apostate church has materialized before our eyes. It all began for us here at Lighthouse Trails when we met Ray Yungen in 2000. Though we were not publishers back then, he shared with us his manuscript for A Time of Departing, which spoke of a coming apostasy in the form of mystical practices and “spiritual disciplines.” Stirred by the content of that book, we agreed to help him find a publisher. But, at the time, we never imagined how relevant and prophetic that book would be nor how quickly this apostasy would flourish in the mainstream churches. Today, it is even difficult to find a church that has not been compromised by some form of eastern-style mystical practice or emerging church philosophy. Now e-mails and letters pour into our office telling how readers who either just discovered us or were at one time skeptical of our warnings are now shocked to see that these things have entered their churches.

How did all this happen, and how did it happen so quickly? We think this can partly be explained by what we discovered years ago. After meeting with Ray, we felt compelled to help him find a publisher for his book, but after contacting a number of Christian publishing houses, we soon learned that they were only looking for books that could sell well—and that meant books considered non-controversial and by well-known authors. At that point, we prayerfully decided to start our own publishing house. But just the lack of interest that we saw in the publishers was indicative of what was to happen in the church.

Whether we realize it or not, there is tremendous spiritual warfare taking place in our world today. In numerous instances, we are hearing stories of young people going to Christian colleges only to have their spiritual lives shipwrecked. They may have been safer in secular colleges. At the same time, we know of countless numbers of Christians who have no church to go to because the ones that are available have abandoned the simplicity of the Gospel for a universal emerging “spirituality.” These believers are now witnessing the apostasy and are looking to ministries like ours for encouragement and help. In many cases, the only encouragement we can offer these people is to assure them that they are not alone in what they see.

As singer/songwriter Trevor Baker sings in his song The Lonely Road, committed Christians may have to endure much loneliness or isolation in the future for lack of genuine fellowship.

Please remember that while Jesus said we cannot know the day or the hour of His return, He also instructed us to observe the seasons. In saying this, Jesus was sharing a principle that is both profound and very simple:

Now learn a parable of the fig tree; when his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. (Matthew 24: 32-33)

In other words, Jesus was saying that various things must occur before He returns, and when they do occur, we can know that His coming is near. Today, the stage is being set for the fulfillment of these events described in Matthew 24, and in fact, things are moving at a highly accelerated rate. While the church has slept, tares have been sown into God’s wheat field (Matthew 13:25). The apostasy that we see in the church today is the result of Satan sowing these “tares” in the church.

As we have watched events unfold in the apostate church in recent years, it has been very sobering to see how nearly identical its intents and actions are to that of the New Age movement in moving toward a one-world global order. As you are reading this, religious leaders are shaking hands with political figures in bringing about a more highly evolved society. Alice Bailey, who had much to do with the development of the New Age movement, with all its occult practices and mysticism, predicted that this movement rather than having to move around the church would move through it. In fact, she saw the church as helping to propel the world into this higher level of consciousness.1 Sadly, we are hearing almost daily of highly respected Christian leaders with large followings who are now embracing the writings of mystics and contemplative authors. Perhaps they do not realize that the contemplative prayer and mysticism they are now passing on to their followers is no different than the occult practices of Alice Bailey with a new twist. And as long as the name of “Jesus” is used, everything is O.K., they think.

Looking again at the fig tree, we can see that more fruit is developing and getting heavier. Also, as Rick Warren points out (and promotes), we will see a blending of religious, political, and economic forces as future events unfold. Unity will be a key to the future and will be an increasing theme as the world awaits the Antichrist. Considering that we are even now moving toward a one-world order, let us look at our fig tree whose fruit is already there and beginning to get ripe; the events we already see, only to increase, are:

The unifying of the world’s religious thought where eastern-style mystical practice to include yoga, contemplative prayer, and healing practices like Reiki are joining east with west.

The Purpose Driven P.E.A.C.E. Plan where political, economic, and religious forces are being brought together to form a unified effort.

Plans for a global currency paving the way to the use of the “mark.”

The accelerating significance of the United Nations leading toward a confederation of nations.

Increasing interest in the world finding a Christ figure who can solve the world’s economic and political problems and unite the world in peace.

Increasing moral decay throughout the world to include abortion, violence, pandemic divorce, the dissolution of the family unit, homosexuality, and pedophilia.

Increasing hatred toward born-again believers.

The growth of a spirit of Anti-Semitism throughout the world including in much of the organized Christian church today.

Increased skepticism about the Lord’s return to include an abandonment of biblical prophecy.

The appearance of false christs culminating in the appearance of the Antichrist. As a result of mystical practices, to include contemplative prayer, people are already being conditioned to seeing themselves as having a “divine center” where the “Christ” or “I am” resides. Man has become divine.

An increasing curiosity and dependence on signs and wonders rather than the Word of God. Of special significance today are Mary apparitions and Eucharistic wonders, which point people to another Jesus of another gospel. Signs and wonders will be seen in the future as the final proof of truth holding sway over many people. This will make it possible for the Antichrist to lead the whole world in a grand delusion as he will be a master at performing signs and wonders.

Let us pause to look at our fig tree again; I see a couple more figs developing there. One of them is called “the bridgers” and the other is called “the silencers.” Unfortunately, both of these figs are growing on the same branch—and the branch has a name on it – it says, “the church.” This is odd because these two figs look putrefied, yet they are growing on a branch that looks very healthy.

You may remember a number of years ago a radio interview between LT editor Deborah Dombrowski and radio host Ingrid Schlueter. The title of this broadcast was“Beware The Bridgers: Orthodoxy Is More Than A Doctrinal Statement.” This program talked about the emergence of what one might call a welcoming committee within the church where things God considers foul and unclean are invited in. Oddly enough, it is not the dissenters in the church who are doing this, as would have been the case fifteen or so years ago, but our pastors and Christian leaders—many of whom have had very large followings and been respected as being both conservative and of sound doctrine. But the problem is that these leaders are now gleaning from the writings of New Age, occultic, or mystical authors and quoting them to their followers, oftentimes with a word of recommendation if not persuasion to buy these writings and read them in their entirety. We won’t take time here to discuss God’s view on these things, but if you are curious, you might want to pause to look at Deuteronomy 18:9-14. The question is, why are pastors and respected Christian leaders promoting mystics and occultists? And we use the word “promoting” because this is more than the occasional slip of quoting someone for their clever or witty anecdote. These leaders are both bringing the nail and driving it in. However, in many cases these leaders are obscure as to whether they practice these things themselves; they seem content enough in bringing their followers to the bait, then leaving their followers to fend for themselves. Ingrid Schlueter coined the term “the bridgers” because these leaders in their obscurity seem quite innocent, yet due to their positions of respect and large followings, they are wittingly or unwittingly pulling large numbers of otherwise conservative followers into a trap that these followers would not have ventured to on their own accord. In other words, these bridgers are introducing the more conservative flock to what the Bible calls an abomination.

Then there is the other fig called “the silencers” that we looked at a moment ago, and it is getting larger. It too looks putrefied though it is on a healthy looking branch labeled “the church.” This fig represents those in the church who regard themselves as having a special corner, and almost elitist attitude, on discernment. While they proclaim their humility, they also pride themselves as having the educational credentials and biblical know-how to steer the church on a straight course. They speak of the embarrassment other ministries are to the body of Christ who are not deemed worthy to hold the compass. A case in point was brought to our attention when two men stood before an audience and proceeded to praise each other as the purveyors of sound wisdom, discernment, and biblical scholarship. Then, in turn they engaged in a joint attack of verbally punching down those they deemed unworthy of discerning the things of God. This ganged venture began when one of them made reference to “housewives and home-school moms” who have no business interfering in things they know nothing about. One referred to such women as “discernment divas” saying that their “greatest ability for [discernment] is not some rational understanding of doctrinal truths but an ability to use a really sharp tongue.” Both men on the stage maintained that such things belong to men of wisdom, like themselves. By the way, the one who said this is said to be the “right-hand man” to one of the most popular and looked up to Christian figures today.

After the program, however, this same man, in realizing that he had put his foot in his mouth–figuratively speaking—proceeded to try to remedy the matter lest there be an influx of home-schooling moms and irate husbands knocking at the door. He attempted to remedy the matter by pointing out that he did not mean all home-schooling moms but two in particular—namely Ingrid Schlueter of Crosstalk and Lighthouse Trails Publishing’s Deborah Dombrowski.2 Hoping to put out the spot fires he started, he referred to these women as discernment divas, then proceeded to provide his own derogatory definition of the term.

We must not forget the seriousness or the ramifications of what can happen when someone who is endeavoring to help the Body of Christ is knocked down, verbally or otherwise. Again, we are in a spiritual battle—very real, with its own victories and consequences.

The fact is that the darkness hates the light, and when you bring light where there is darkness it means exposure. We live in a corrupt world where not even the organized church is willing to have the light shine in the dark corners.

But we at Lighthouse Trails were founded on the principle that there is a growing body of believers who have heard God’s heart cry to repentance. It is our belief that repentance is meant to be a part of the Christian life, and as we become aware of our imperfections we endure rather than resist God’s refining process in our lives. When John wrote his letters to the seven churches, he did it with this in mind, but history tells us not all seven of them heeded his letters.

Here at Lighthouse Trails, we have endeavored to blow the trumpet over the years, sounding the call to repentance and to a return to the sound doctrine of the Bible. But many have become annoyed with the repeated blasts of the trumpet. All we can say to this is that the time is short, and we remember the words of Jesus when he said, “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work” (John 9:4). We will continue to sound the trumpet for as long as we can while doors of opportunity are still open.

Some will say that it is better for Christians to be silent and just let God take care of things. But it is through silence that the church in America has lost so much ground. Rather than helping the process, silence accelerates the work of the enemy. It was through silence that a man called Hitler was able to come to power and murder millions of innocent people.

Keep praying and do what you can to help sound the trumpet. The enemy forces are advancing; in fact, they are within our ranks.

I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken. (Jeremiah 6:17)

Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. (Hebrews 3:12)

Notes:
1. See A Time of Departing for more information on Alice Bailey’s “revitalization” of the churches.
2. Though Deborah Dombrowski’s name was not mentioned, it was inferred by saying Lighthouse Trails Publishing

I want to thank you again and possibly alert you on another author you should watch. Recently, my husband went to a pastor’s conference and brought a book back home titled The Spiritual Formation of Leaders by Chuck Miller, Ed. D.

Immediately I saw the title, the bells went of in my head, and sure enough, going through it, it has quotes from Brennan Manning’s Ragamuffin Gospel, Henri Nouwen, Thomas Merton et. al. Looking through also, the author talks of a soul room, listening to God speak to you from all around you. Chapter 7 is titled “What exactly happens in the Soul Room? – Leadership: Moving from Management to Mystery.”

I must say, immediately I saw the book’s title, I became uncomfortable. These books look so good, so endearing and people are genuinely seeking how they can grow in Christ. If not for Lighthouse, I may not have known the treacherous path we would have been walking. As for me, since 2011, I have decided it’s Sola Scriptura. Away with especially new “Christian” books.

Thank you Lighthouse, and God bless you.

T. U.

LTRP Note: In addition to Brennan Manning, Henri Nouwen, and Thomas Merton, The Spiritual Formation of Leaders also contains quotes by and references to numerous other contemplative/emergent figures: New Age sympathizers Steven Covey and Parker Palmer, contemplatives John Ortberg, John Eldredge, Dallas Willard, Richard Foster, as well as emergents N.T. Wright, Robert Webber, Klaus Issler, and Eugene Peterson.

One of the books that Chuck Miller quotes from is Richard Foster’s Meditative Prayer. Here are a few quotes from that book to help illustrate our concerns about using the writings of contemplative authors:

“We will discover how the imagination can aid us in our task and consider the three major steps into meditative prayer.” (p. 3)

“In the fullness of time Jesus came and taught the reality of the kingdom of God and demonstrated what life could be like in that kingdom. He showed us God’s yearning for the gathering of an all-inclusive community of loving persons with himself as its prime sustainer and most glorious inhabitant.” (emphasis added, p. 5)

“To pray is to descend with the mind into the heart.” (quoting Russian mystic Theophan the Recluse, p. 7)

“I am because HE IS.” (p. 20)

“[A] third step in meditative prayer, which is the prayer of listening.” (p. 21)

Quoting from numerous mystics and panentheists, Foster says, “The great masters [mystics] of the interior life [meditative life] are overwhelmingly uniform in their witness to this reality [“an inward attentiveness to the divine Whisper” p. 22].” (p. 22)